Founding and History
The Comedy Store was opened in April 1972 by comedians Sammy Shore and Rudy De Luca. The building was formerly the home of Club Seville, Ciro’s, and Ciro’s Le Disc.
Sammy Shore co-founded The Comedy Store with his wife Mitzi in 1972. Their son is actor Pauly Shore. After Sammy died in 2019, Pauly said he was basically raised at The Comedy Store by some of the biggest comedians in the business.
Mitzi Shore coined the name "The Comedy Store" and assumed nightly operations in 1974. She scheduled the comedians and managed the club for decades.
Financial Management and Continuity
In 2002, Mitzi’s health declined. Her son Peter Shore helped run the business. He and CFO Bob Wheeler worked over the next decade to correct questionable financial decisions made in the past.
The Fight for Comedian Compensation
In 1979, stand-up comedians formed a union called Comedians for Compensation and fought for pay where they had received none before. Their protest lasted 6 weeks.
The Comedy Store offered comedians a stage to hone their skills through short sets organized to allow several performers each night. There was an abundance of drugs and parties.